This period of Chinese occupation met with stronger resistance from a now more unified Vietnamese population. Vietnamese resistance took root in the mountains of Thanh Hoa, south of Hanoi, led by the local nobleman and mandarin Le Loi, who launched a prolonged struggle for national liberation. For a decade, Le Loi’s disciplined guerrilla forces disrupted and weakened the occupying forces until finally, in 1427, he achieved a decisive victory over the Chinese in open battle.

Crowned as King Le Thai To, Le Loi established the Later Le dynasty, the third major ruling dynasty of Vietnam, and initiated the reconstruction of Dai Viet. Though Le Loi’s reign was brief—lasting only five years—his dynasty initially benefited from economic prosperity and territorial expansion. However, the growing power of local provinces eventually led to semi-autonomous rulers with enough wealth and influence to challenge the Le throne.

By the sixteenth century, as the Le dynasty weakened, two prominent clans, the Nguyen in the south and the Trinh in the north, rose in power. Originally allies supporting the Le monarchy against rival factions, they gradually assumed control, effectively dividing the country. The Trinh ruled in Hanoi and the northern regions, while the Nguyen established their court in Hue. The Le dynasty persisted but only symbolically, with real power resting in the hands of the Trinh and Nguyen lords.